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Cabbagetown

Cabbagetown features what was once described by The New York Times as “the largest collection of Victorian homes in North America.” Built in the last half of the 1800s, many of these homes have been lovingly restored and renovated, yielding a picturesque streetscape that is a popular choice for crews filming movies and TV shows.

The history of this downtown neighbourhood can be traced back to the 1840s, when Irish immigrants, fleeing the potato famine in Ireland, settled in this area, east of the city core. To put food on the table, these poor families grew cabbages on their front lawns, and so the neighbourhood became known as Cabbagetown. The cabbages are long gone and the neighbourhood is now a vibrant, downtown community.

Expansive Riverdale Park (with its little zoo, Riverdale Farm) is a popular place for walks and picnics in summer, and for tobogganing in winter. Every September, Cabbagetown comes alive for the weekend-long Cabbagetown Festival on Parliament Street, featuring stage entertainers, street vendors and performers, and more. Coinciding with the Cabbagetown Festival are the Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Sale in Riverdale Park, and the Riverdale Farm Fall Harvest Festival.

With material from Your Guide to Toronto Neighbourhoods, by David Dunkelman